Our September USA Trip

Our USA trip

September 15-22, 2007

Florida condo visit and quick trip north to Waltham, MA

After closing on our Florida condo August 31 by remote-control from Chile, we made our first trip back to the States to enjoy our new home as owners. We were thrilled to see the Florida beaches and magnificant skies, with anticipation of being able to have this beauty surround us while living in Fernandina Beach.

We were surprised to receive a welcome bouquet from our Realtor in New Hampshire who helped us with a referral to the Florida Realtor. Then it was time to start work: Artie called references for the contractors, to get an idea of their performance, customer orientation and work quality. This helped us zero-in on the one we selected, J. P. McClellan and his head craftsman, Gustavo, for modifications that would begin shortly after we left. Here they are at a restoration project that they had nearly completed.

What's with the papers? We made furniture footprints from paper to help us decide where our furniture will go when we move it in from Chile. With a little imagination Margy is trying out the dining room table.

We can enjoy the house now, since we bought a few pieces of furniture from the former owner.

We can enjoy the house now, since we bought a few pieces of furniture from the former owner.

We required the services of an architect to make the plans for some structural modifications. We found Mike Richardson to be creative, enthusiastic and ready to help us.

Mike, J.P. and Gustavo will be a good team, improving our new home.

What a friendly comnmunity! We were invited to meet some local people by Tom, president of the community association, and his wife Pam in their lovely lakeside home. Shown left to right are Margy, Todd and wife Christa, Tom, Pam, Steve (holding Tom and Pam's dog), Artie, Tom (a former coworker of Artie's from 40 years ago), his wife Susan, and their good friends Susan and Roger, who live right across the street from Tom and Pam. Small world!

Our dear friend Eddie lives near the ocean in Fernandina Beach, within 10 minutes from our new condo. We used to enjoy weekends at his beach house when we lived in Lake City from 1980 to 1989. His wife, Eileen (now deceased) used to be the Columbia County Library Director in Lake City, and the two of them were special in our lives. We are happy to know we will see more of Eddie so nearby.

More new friends and neighbors: During our brief stay we had the pleasure to meet next-door neighbors, Dallas (a former chemical industry executive) and his wife Marie (classical violin player and artist, whose painting is on the wall behind them), and Marge (who brought us a wecome basket of wine, bread and salt symbolizing joy, health and long life). What nice people. It will be great to know them better and to have them nearby.

During our week's stay we lived spartanly, enjoying our first time to eat and sleep at the house. This photo shows our first "meal" in the kitchen, which was repeated several mornings as we coordinated conractor visits and quotations for various services that we would eventually need.

With our furniture layout complete, architect and contractor lined up, and miscellaneous chores accomplished as required (including getting Florida Driver's Licenses), we were ready for our quick trip north to enjoy a couple of days with family.

Our trip to Waltham was prompted by Marianne's remarkable stability and improvement since we last saw her in May. Her daughter returned from Australia early in June to help Larry with day to day caregiving. Our visit prompted a mini family reunion. Ray brought Adella and we also enjoyed time with Danny and his family.

Margy had been going through computer withdrawal, not being able to connect to the internet wirelessly, but computer whiz Ann saved the day. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ann! Incidently, Ann owns the servers that support this website, so we all thank her.

Artie, Ray, Ann and Maddie went for a bike ride, and later Artie played paddleball with Max, who is wearing the pirate scarf that we brought him. Guess what his 2007 Halloween costume is.

Time for one last picture of the 3 brothers together before Adella and Ray return to New Jersey and we return to Chile. What a productive week's vacation!

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After closing on our Florida condo August 31 by remote-control from Chile, we made our first trip back to the States to enjoy our new home as owners. We were thrilled to see the Florida beaches and magnificant skies, with anticipation of being able to have this beauty surround us while living in Fernandina Beach.


We were surprised to receive a welcome bouquet from our Realtor in New Hampshire who helped us with a referral to the Florida Realtor. Then it was time to start work: Artie called references for the contractors, to get an idea of their performance, customer orientation and work quality. This helped us zero-in on the one we selected, J. P. McClellan and his head craftsman, Gustavo, for modifications that would begin shortly after we left. Here they are at a restoration project that they had nearly completed.


What's with the papers? We made furniture footprints from paper to help us decide where our furniture will go when we move it in from Chile. With a little imagination Margy is trying out the dining room table.
We can enjoy the house now, since we bought a few pieces of furniture from the former owner.

We required the services of an architect to make the plans for some structural modifications. We found Mike Richardson to be creative, enthusiastic and ready to help us. Mike, J.P. and Gustavo will be a good team, improving our new home.

		Our dear friend Eddie lives near the ocean in Fernandina Beach, within 10 minutes from our new condo. We used to enjoy weekends at his beach house when we lived in Lake City from 1980 to 1989. His wife, Eileen (now deceased) used to be the Columbia County Library Director in Lake City, and the two of them were special in our lives. We are happy to know we will see more of Eddie so nearby.


More new friends and neighbors: During our brief stay we had the pleasure to meet next-door neighbors, Dallas (a former chemical industry executive) and his wife Marie (classical violin player and artist, whose painting is on the wall behind them), and Marge (who brought us a wecome basket of wine, bread and salt symbolizing joy, health and long life). What nice people. It will be great to know them better and to have them nearby.

		Artie, Ray, Ann and Maddie went for a bike ride, and later Artie played paddleball with Max, who is wearing the pirate scarf that we brought him. Guess what his 2007 Halloween costume is.


Time for one last picture of the 3 brothers together before Adella and Ray return to New Jersey and we return to Chile. What a productive week's vacation!

Back to Margy and Artie's homepage